[Backroads Bimmer]

One of my buttons has just started to show the crack across it. Is it paint on the buttons that is cracking? It almost seems like the buttons are painted and that is actually what is cracking not the button. I have never touched the buttons on my car aside from trying to feel the crack in the button and it is still cracking. I use the steering wheel controls or idrive so I have no need to touch the buttons on the radio. The car is parked in my garage unless I am at work. I have never used any chemicals on the buttons.

[MooMooM2]

Originally Posted by Backroads Bimmer

One of my buttons has just started to show the crack across it. Is it paint on the buttons that is cracking? It almost seems like the buttons are painted and that is actually what is cracking not the button. I have never touched the buttons on my car aside from trying to feel the crack in the button and it is still cracking. I use the steering wheel controls or idrive so I have no need to touch the buttons on the radio. The car is parked in my garage unless I am at work. I have never used any chemicals on the buttons.

its definitely the coating in the button, at least mine is.

[Saljanin]

I'm reviving this thread. Anyone find a permanent fix or a DIY button replacement without replacing the whole panel?

[Swish77]

Originally Posted by Saljanin

I'm reviving this thread. Anyone find a permanent fix or a DIY button replacement without replacing the whole panel?

No, but I can confirm that the replacement unit/buttons that BMW installed under warranty on my M2C in June 2023 has already started to crack again. Noticed it last night. Much easier to see it at night when it’s dark and the orange light shines from behind the buttons.

My warranty is good till about the end of July this year, so I’ll wait until the beginning of that month to take it back in for the same problem. Hopefully they won’t give me a hard time.

[powerplaymike]

Was hoping I was immune to this issue on my new-to-me / last of the builds M2C, but I just noticed one of mine recently cracked too .
Not across the number, but rather near the top edge. Extremely difficult to see, and doesn’t appear to shine through at night either (yet).

In doing some research on the forums … very common across multiple BMW platforms… there’s some inexpensive replacement buttons available on Aliexpress (and prolly amazon/ebay/etc)

No idea how well they match, and/or how easy they were to replace, but may be worth considering especially if off-warranty cause if it doesn’t work out, you’re only out a small amount and then still getting the full radio replacement you would’ve needed anyway.

Nothing ventured nothing gained.

Mine is off warranty in a few months, so I’m hoping to get it replaced.
If not, and/or happens again, my plan is to just buy from FCP or someone that apparently offers lifetime replacement, cause as evidenced by others it’ll happen again.

Although, I’d rather not even go that route, as I’m not too worried about the part, but moreso tearing apart the dash (albeit somewhat minimal) just to replace the part. Those pieces / clips are almost never the same afterward

Maybe instead, I’ll just buy the assembly while it’s still relatively cheap and easy to procure, and just keep in the box til it gets worse and/or time to sell the car.

[powerplaymike]

Also FYI, while people often use the word cracked, it seems moreso just the gray paint splitting.

Very similar to the start/stop buttons and such where it gets scratched off

[Swish77]

Originally Posted by powerplaymike

Also FYI, while people often use the word cracked, it seems moreso just the gray paint splitting.

Very similar to the start/stop buttons and such where it gets scratched off

Hmmmm .... Never thought about that. On mine, it appeared/appears the actual plastic (or whatever material they are) cracked. Mine also don’t look gray. They’re black. Are you saying they’re actually painted black/gray and that’s what is cracking, not the hard material underneath?

[Berzerker]

Originally Posted by powerplaymike

Also FYI, while people often use the word cracked, it seems moreso just the gray paint splitting.

Very similar to the start/stop buttons and such where it gets scratched off

Originally Posted by Swish77

Hmmmm .... Never thought about that. On mine, it appeared/appears the actual plastic (or whatever material they are) cracked. Mine also don’t look gray. They’re black. Are you saying they’re actually painted black/gray and that’s what is cracking, not the hard material underneath?

These are not painted on, they're doubleshot plastic molded so the plastic would be cracking.

[powerplaymike]

Originally Posted by Swish77

Hmmmm .... Never thought about that. On mine, it appeared/appears the actual plastic (or whatever material they are) cracked. Mine also don’t look gray. They’re black. Are you saying they’re actually painted black/gray and that’s what is cracking, not the hard material underneath?

I wasn’t paying too much attention, so may be black vs dark gray … but the general potential of the color being a paint remains

Originally Posted by Berzerker

These are not painted on, they're doubleshot plastic molded so the plastic would be cracking.

Not saying you’re wrong, but will say there’s contradictory information as according to responses on some other Bimmerpost platform threads (like the regular 2 and 3 series), they’re painted

Out of curiosity, what about the start / stop button? Based on your knowledge, are those doubleshot like the radio buttons?

Reason for asking is I’m looking for a simple used OEM black one to replace my red one (M2C), and while there’s a ton on eBay I’d say at least 80% of them are all badly worn (same with the silver start stop buttons used in some models). But those definitely look like paint flaking, not cracking of the plastic, hence my question

[Berzerker]

Originally Posted by powerplaymike

I wasn’t paying too much attention, so may be black vs dark gray … but the general potential of the color being a paint remains



Not saying you’re wrong, but will say there’s contradictory information as according to responses on some other Bimmerpost platform threads (like the regular 2 and 3 series), they’re painted

Out of curiosity, what about the start / stop button? Based on your knowledge, are those doubleshot like the radio buttons?

Reason for asking is I’m looking for a simple used OEM black one to replace my red one (M2C), and while there’s a ton on eBay I’d say at least 80% of them are all badly worn (same with the silver start stop buttons used in some models). But those definitely look like paint flaking, not cracking of the plastic, hence my question

I'd be curious to see who's said this and where you found it because I would be incredibly surprised if anything in the car is painted on.

The start/stop buttons are also most likely plastic molded, but polished as well. Plastic molding is almost always the choice for stuff like this since it's much *much* cheaper, an easier process for large scale like car manufacturing, and also much more durable to the elements since these cars see so many drastic temperature differences and sit out in the sun all day.

Also paint doesn't really split like this in patterns consistent with manufacturing defects before it would start flaking off at all.

[powerplaymike]

Originally Posted by Berzerker

I'd be curious to see who's said this and where you found it because I would be incredibly surprised if anything in the car is painted on.

The start/stop buttons are also most likely plastic molded, but polished as well. Plastic molding is almost always the choice for stuff like this since it's much *much* cheaper, an easier process for large scale like car manufacturing, and also much more durable to the elements since these cars see so many drastic temperature differences and sit out in the sun all day.

Also paint doesn't really split like this in patterns consistent with manufacturing defects before it would start flaking off at all.

Of course, as is typical when surfing the webs … I can’t find the related threads two days later now lol … nor is it my search history cause why would it be #sarcasm

Below are the only two threads I could find that reference it, but I swear there were more talking about the potential for it being paint.

Agreed though, they certainly look like a crack, which paint doesn’t tend to do (vs flaking that’s more thought of for paint)

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=785628

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1199246

[Saljanin]

Originally Posted by powerplaymike

Although, I’d rather not even go that route, as I’m not too worried about the part, but moreso tearing apart the dash (albeit somewhat minimal) just to replace the part. Those pieces / clips are almost never the same afterward

Maybe instead, I’ll just buy the assembly while it’s still relatively cheap and easy to procure, and just keep in the box til it gets worse and/or time to sell the car.

I share that concern as well. I don’t think it would be a difficult replacement, but I’d hate to see it mishandled.

The simplest option seems to be replacing the actual buttons.

They are sold on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dashboard-Pla...435177578&th=1

Looks like an easy fix but I don't want to risk prying things apart. Hopefully someone can post a video or guide.

[powerplaymike]

Originally Posted by Saljanin

I share that concern as well. I don’t think it would be a difficult replacement, but I’d hate to see it mishandled.

The simplest option seems to be replacing the actual buttons.

They are sold on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dashboard-Pla...435177578&th=1

Looks like an easy fix but I don't want to risk prying things apart. Hopefully someone can post a video or guide.

Would love if someone could verify the button itself could pop off, cause if so could also just order an OEM one off of eBay and (assuming that specific button you need is still good on the donor) use that.

May also be worth finding one on eBay that’s all messed up, just to trial removing the buttons 🤔

[Distinct]

These buttons are all likely to be painted. They would all be translucent white blanks for a single mold and then painted with different number patterns. The major issue with the paint formula is that it likely has additional ingredients to enable the haptic sensing capability for sliding your finger over the buttons but not actually pressing them. That difference in the paint formula makes it more prone to appear like cracking because the paint layer is pulling away from itself primarily starting where there is no paint (the numbers).

[Distinct]

Examining the way the button is designed, the light only appears through the centre because there is a focused structure for the light to only come out the centre, if that wasn't there, the cracked paint would likely shine orange all the way through. This looks painted.

[Berzerker]

Originally Posted by Distinct

Examining the way the button is designed, the light only appears through the centre because there is a focused structure for the light to only come out the centre, if that wasn't there, the cracked paint would likely shine orange all the way through. This looks painted.

Attachment 3668895

Attachment 3668896

Again, it looks like a coating because of the way it's structured, but this is really most likely not. It's a method of producing two layers of plastic in a single mold, either using "double shot" or "overmolding," It's a colored, visually-used (black in this case) plastic molded over a translucent inner plastic. It's how to get a colored piece that lets certain areas of the plastic shine light through a stenciled area.

It's the same way shine-through keycaps are made.

The cracking happening that people are reporting also looks way more like actual structural cracks, something that paint doesn't really do.

[Distinct]

Originally Posted by Berzerker

Again, it looks like a coating because of the way it's structured, but this is really most likely not. It's a method of producing two layers of plastic in a single mold, either using "double shot" or "overmolding," It's a colored, visually-used (black in this case) plastic molded over a translucent inner plastic. It's how to get a colored piece that lets certain areas of the plastic shine light through a stenciled area.

It's the same way shine-through keycaps are made.

The cracking happening that people are reporting also looks way more like actual structural cracks, something that paint doesn't really do.

I see, that makes sense. The black of the second shot or over molding has some kind of slight difference and is more prone to the cracking.

[Distinct]

Also to clarify then, those Amazon replacement buttons don't appear to be made the same way and you run the risk of slowly fading them with a lot of usage.

[MmmmmM2]

Thankfully only my "1" button is cracked but it is cracked in 2 places.